Burnout is especially problematic in professional kitchens where chefs are sometimes expected to work up to 12 hours a day, weekends, and often in harsh working conditions.
In addition to the physical demands of working in a kitchen, Unite found that poor mental wellbeing is common among chefs. As a result of working such long hours, 51 percent of chefs suffer depression and 78 percent have had an accident or near miss at work due to fatigue.
Dealing with unexpected emergencies is one of the most stressful things about being a chef. If you are fortunate, you'll have the training, experience, and support of a good team that allow you to anticipate and deal with the emergency without missing a beat.
There is little question that working in a busy kitchen can be very stressful. The demands of time (never enough), consistent execution, business volume, multi-tasking, the uncertainty of order pace and the need to protect very tight profit margins weighs heavy.
That is why we are growing increasingly concerned about the number of chefs struggling with mental health issues. For example, a 2017 survey found that 51% of chefs struggle with 'debilitating' stress levels. While 51% is already too high, a more recent UK-based survey found that it has increased to a shocking 81%.
You Will Work Long, Difficult Hours
It's not uncommon to work 10 to 12-hour shifts. Because chefs often have a challenging and inconsistent schedule, balancing a culinary career with a personal life can be tough.
Being a chef is not easy and it requires a lot of time, energy and dedication to get to a good standard. You will need to be passionate about it, because the hours can be long and unsociable and kitchens are a stressful environment.
Is Being a Chef Stressful? Yes! A career in the culinary profession is a stressful endeavor that can lead to chef burnout – a real problem in the culinary workplace today. Psychologists define burnout as a syndrome resulting from unmanageable stress, exhaustion and negativism related to one's job.
It's a Physically Demanding Job
Working in a kitchen, you're going to be standing and moving around for at least 8 hours. You'll also need to be lifting heavy pots of food, carrying large bags of food, and stocking walk-ins with food, which can put a strain on your body.
Why Does Chef Burnout Happen? Cooking can be a high-intensity, high-stress job. After all, the fate of the restaurant is arguably on a chef's shoulders each and every day. Having a role with so much responsibility, they're not always able to take time off to rest and recuperate.
The numbers show that being a chef can potentially be a lucrative career. And when you invest in education, build your experience, and work with the right companies, you may be able to maximize your earning potential. Some chefs also have side hustles and passion projects that bring them additional streams of income!
It is never too late to become a chef! This career has no age limits, and there are many successful chefs who found culinary arts later in life.
Additionally, 74% of chefs and staff feel burned out due to sleep deprivation among other hardships, according to data from FairKitchens.com.
For example, working as a breakfast chef in a hotel the shift can be 0600 – 1500 with two days off during the week. Whilst working in a busy restaurant finishing a late shift at 2200 and starting the next day at 0800. In this case you could find it hard to sleep any more than 4 – 5 hours sleep.
Even in team settings with sous chefs and kitchen staff, introverted chefs can organize kitchen processes to promote efficiency, safety, and silence.
Built on the influence of migrant populations, it offers a diverse dining landscape that makes a sizeable contribution to the country's economy. This makes Australia an exciting place for chefs to work. Right now, the country is a land of opportunity for skilled chefs.
Is being a chef a skilled job in Australia? Yes! Chefs are considered to be skilled workers in Australia, however there are no licenses required to be one. However, we highly recommend formal education and training through our commercial cookery courses in Brisbane or Melbourne to become fully qualified.
Chefs are lauded in popular culture. Yet doubts regarding the quality of chefs' jobs have intensified in Australia following recent instances of underpayments in high-profile restaurants.